Likud MK Hanoch Milwidsky of the Likud connects the Prime Minister's rebuke to those protesting against him in the USA and quotes from the 'Brothers in Arms' protest organization in an interview with CBS.
60 Minutes recently broadcast an extensive article on the judicial reform issue against the backdrop of Prime Minister Netanyahu's departure for his first visit to the United States since being re-elected to office. One of the interviewees in the article was Justice Minister Yariv Levin, but four of the leading figures in the "Brothers in Arms" organization, which is protesting the reform, were also interviewed alongside him.
Ron Sherf, one of the protest leaders, claimed on the broadcast that he and his friends "protect Israel from danger" and added: "I am fighting for my parents who are worried that the miracle of the State of Israel they built is going to be destroyed."
Shira Eting, a former IAF pilot and another of the protest activists, said "If you want pilots to be able to fly and shoot bombs and missiles at houses knowing that they can kill children - they must have full trust in the people who make these decisions."
Milwidsky angrily wrote on Twitter: "'Israel is bombing and killing children' - This is the false, contemptible and anti-Zionist narrative that the 'Brothers in Arms' people are sending to the world. This is the next generation of 'Breaking the Silence', BDS in full swing." He received harsh reactions from the protestors and from many other users.
Earlier, the Prime Minister's Office published a clarification for the harsh criticism that Netanyahu leveled at the demonstrators expected to protest against him during his visit to the US.
''When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the word 'joining', he meant the fact that when the Prime Minister of Israel is representing the State of Israel at the UN, Israeli citizens will be demonstrating at the same time as supporters of the PLO and BDS, which has never happened before.''
''One would hope that the Israeli demonstrators will at least take several minutes to also protest against those who deny the State of Israel's right to exist." Netanyahu's office said.
The Prime Minister said before leaving for the US: "Nothing surprises me. The people who organize this protest are equipped with a lot of money. These are sponsored and organized demonstrations that break all borders. They led to the fact that blocking roads is a normal thing, that violent harassment of public figures is an apparently normal thing, that refusal to serve is a normal thing. Therefore, when they go and slander Israel before the nations, it also seems normal to them. It's not normal for me, when I was the head of the opposition I never did it."
Netanyahu also said: "This is the 12th time, I believe, that I am going to appear at the United Nations as Prime Minister. There have always been demonstrations in favor of Israel and against Israel. But this time we are seeing demonstrations against Israel by people affiliated with the PLO, Iran, and others. Nothing is surprising anymore, but that will not prevent me from representing Israel brilliantly and in the best way for all its citizens."
The chairman of the Religious Zionist Party, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, supported the Prime Minister's statement. "There used to be statecraft here. It was clear that there were arguments and demonstrations at home, but when a Prime Minister goes on a mission to represent Israel abroad, we all support him."
According to him, "the demonstrators abroad are indeed BDS activists who are harming Israel and the support they receive from Gantz and Lapid proves that they too crossed all the red lines and became the opposition to the state, shame on you."
MK Tali Gottlieb claimed that Netanyahu's clarification was unnecessary. "Another unnecessary announcement from the Prime Minister's Office. Maybe it's enough? What are you apologizing for? Prime Minister Netanyahu is finally telling the minds who are destroying the country inside and out the truth inside and you are rushing to come up with flattering explanations? Netanyahu does not need you to explain himself, and me neither".